Getting a work visa in Malta
All you need to know about getting a Malta work visa or permit as an American.
Malta Golden Visa Program: Full guide
Malta is a sun-soaked Mediterranean country with a high quality of life and European Union membership.
If you want to relocate to Malta or get EU residency, Malta offers two options: residence by investment (Golden Visa) and citizenship by investment. The Malta Golden Visa investment starts at 150,000 EUR with some flexibility in how you invest.¹
If you're wondering how to get a Golden Visa in Malta, this guide will break down the requirements, process, and everything else you need to know.
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What is the Malta Permanent Residence Program?
The Malta Permanent Residence Program is designed for non-EU nationals who want to live in Malta long-term. It also gives you visa-free access to EU countries and, potentially, a path to Maltese citizenship.
To qualify for Malta residency, you have to make a real estate investment as well as pay certain government fees. Foreign investors also have to show they have capital assets of at least 500,000 EUR, with 150,000 EUR in financial assets.¹
| Malta Permanent Resident Program quick facts |
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| Minimum investment: 150,000 EUR (when renting property)¹ Processing time: 4-6 months² Time to citizenship: 5+ years² Duration: 5 years, renewable indefinitely¹ |
Benefits of a Malta Golden Visa
Getting a Malta Golden Visa comes with considerable advantages:
- Live, work and study in Malta
- Visa-free travel in the Schengen Area (stay for 90 days out of 180 days)
- Enjoy Malta's high quality of life
- Invest only for the first 5 years
- No need to actually live in Malta to keep your status
- Include your spouse, dependent children, parents and even grandparents
- Take advantage of Malta's efficient tax system for residents
- Communicate easily with English as one of the official languages
Because of all the reasons above, The Malta Permanent Residence Program is one of the most popular Golden Visa programs in Europe for high-net-worth individuals.
Who’s eligible for a Malta Golden Visa?
Malta Golden Visa requirements are pretty straightforward:
- Be the main investor ready to make a qualifying investment
- Have a clean criminal record
- Prove your money comes from legitimate sources
- Have health insurance
- Show you have at least 500,000 EUR in capital (with 150,000 EUR in financial assets)¹
Keep in mind that Malta takes its due diligence seriously. They're strict about following EU regulations, which means if you're from a sanctioned country, you're not going to be able to apply. As of September 2024, sanctioned countries include:
- Afghanistan
- North Korea
- Iran
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
- Venezuela
- Russian Federation
- Belarus
The Residency Malta Agency, which is the government agency responsible for managing the Golden Visa program, may revise the list of sanctioned countries from time to time.
How much is a Golden Visa for Malta?
The minimum investment starts at 150,000 EUR if you're planning to rent. If you want to purchase real estate, Malta Golden Visa cost goes up to 300,000+ EUR plus appropriate fees.¹
Investment requirements
Here's a quick look at what you need to invest.
| If you’re renting¹ | If you’re buying¹ |
|---|---|
| 10,000 EUR/year (South Malta/Gozo) | 300,000 EUR (South Malta/Gozo) |
| 12,000 EUR/year (rest of Malta) | 350,000 EUR (rest of Malta) |
| 🔍 Wondering how much that would cost in USD? Check out this handy conversion calculator: |
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There are two main ways to make your real estate investment: to rent or to buy property.
For renting, you must commit to a spot that costs at least 10,000 EUR a year for 5 years in the south of Malta or on Gozo. For other areas, the minimum rental investment is 12,000 EUR a year for 5 years.¹
Buying property gets you into Malta's real estate market. In the south or on Gozo, you're looking at a minimum investment of 300,000 EUR. In other areas, the minimum property purchase jumps up to 350,000 EUR.¹
Whichever route you choose, you're committed for at least 5 years. After that, you can find another place to rent or even sell your property investment and still maintain your Maltese residency.
You'll still need a residential address in Malta, but there's no minimum value requirement.
Additional fees
The real estate investment isn't the only Malta Golden Visa cost you'll have to cover. You'll also need to pay a government contribution and several other fees.
| Fee type | Amount¹ |
|---|---|
| Government contribution (if buying) | 28,000 EUR |
| Government contribution (if renting) | 58,000 EUR |
| Per adult dependent | 7,500 EUR |
| Administration fee | 40,000 EUR |
| NGO donation | 2,000 EUR |
To make it simple, the total additional fees are:
- If buying property: 70,000 EUR
- If renting property: 100,000 EUR
If you have adult dependents (except your spouse), add in an extra 7,500 EUR per person.
Many investors choose to work with Golden Visa agencies to navigate this process. These experts charge their own additional fees.
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Now that we covered all the basic costs of a Malta Golden Visa, the only question left is: how to send money to pay for your property overseas?
Wise offers you a quick, secure and transparent way of sending money to Malta. You get the mid-market exchange rate for your payments and see how much it’s charged for the transfer before sending the money from your bank.
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Getting a Malta Golden Visa: step by step
The Residency Malta Agency handles applications and puts them through rigorous checks. Once you pass those and make an investment into a qualifying property, you're all set to get your Maltese residence permit.
Typically, these are the steps you can expect from the Malta Permanent Residence Programme:
- Gather your documents
- Submit your application to the Residency Malta Agency
- Wait for the agency to review your application
- If approved, make your qualifying investment
- Receive your Malta permanent residency
Once you complete the Malta visa process, you're all set to relocate.
Malta Golden Visa required documents
The Malta Golden Visa requirements are pretty straightforward. You'll need:
- a valid passport
- evidence of sufficient funds
- health insurance coverage
- a clean criminal record certificate
- additional supporting documents as requested
Third country nationals often work with Golden Visa agencies to gather the necessary documents and translate them into English or Maltese.
Malta Golden Visa program timeline
If your paperwork is in order, you and your dependents can become Maltese residents in just 4-6 months. You may be eligible to apply for Maltese citizenship after 5 years, but there's also a separate citizenship by investment program.²
Malta Golden Visa renewal
You'll need to renew your Malta Golden Visa after 5 years. It's a pretty straightforward process, but you'll need to pay a 27.50 EUR fee for each annual renewal.⁴
Malta Citizenship by Investment
If you want to get a Maltese passport right away, Malta also has a citizenship by investment program. Community Malta Agency runs this program, but the eligibility criteria are stricter and much more expensive than the Malta Golden Visa.
The requirements for obtaining Maltese citizenship include:⁵
- Be at least 18 years old
- Invest 600,000 EUR (if you've lived in Malta for 36 months) or 750,000 EUR (if you've been there for 12 months)
- Buy a 700,000 EUR property and keep it for at least 5 years (or rent a place for 16,000 EUR a year)
- Donate 10,000 EUR to an approved Maltese organization
- Have a valid residence card
- Be in good health
Once you obtain Maltese citizenship, you become a EU citizen. European citizenship has many perks, and you and your family members will have the right to live, study and work in any EU country.
To qualify for the citizenship by investment program, you'll have to pass a rigorous background check.
If you're a citizen of or have ties to one of the sanctioned countries, such as North Korea, Iran or Russia, you're not eligible to apply.
| 💡 Interested in citizenship? Learn more about the easiest countries to get citizenship in our full guide. |
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Malta Golden Visa FAQs
Can I get residency in Malta if I buy a house?
Yes, but it's not as simple as just buying any property. To qualify for residency through property purchase, you need to invest at least 300,000 EUR in the South of Malta or Gozo, or 350,000 EUR elsewhere in Malta. You must own this property for at least 5 years.¹
Keep in mind that buying residential property is just one part of the Golden Visa requirements. You'll also need to meet other criteria (such as passing a background check and having at least 500,000 EUR in capital) and pay additional fees to the Maltese government.¹
How long can a US citizen live in Malta?
US citizens can stay in Malta for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. For longer stays or if you want to relocate to Malta, you'll need to get Malta residency or citizenship.
The Malta Golden Visa program is a way to get long-term residency in Malta in exchange for a real estate investment and government contribution, with the minimum required investment ranging from 150,000 EUR to 350,000+ EUR.¹
There's also a way to get Malta citizenship and a European passport through an investment program, but it's much more expensive. The typical direct investment can run as high as 1,000,000+ EUR.⁵
How much does it cost to get permanent residency in Malta?
The total cost varies depending on whether you choose to rent or buy property. At a minimum, you're looking at 150,000 EUR for the investment requirement, plus additional fees, when renting. These include a government contribution of 58,000 EUR, a 40,000 EUR administration fee and a 2,000 EUR donation.¹
If you're purchasing real estate, its value must be at least 300,000 EUR in the south of Malta or on Gozo. In other areas, the minimum real estate investment is 350,000 EUR when buying. You'll also need to cover appropriate fees, including the 28,000 EUR government contribution, a 40,000 EUR administration fee and a 2,000 EUR donation.¹
Successful applicants of the Malta Golden Visa program get long-term residency in one of Europe's most sought-after countries.
The minimum investment is 150,000 EUR when renting property in the south of Malta or on Gozo. For purchasing property, the minimum investment starts at 300,000 EUR plus appropriate fees.¹
Malta also has a citizenship by investment program, which puts you on a path to acquiring Maltese citizenship much faster, typically within 12-18 months. This program is much more expensive, with the minimum investment typically reaching over 1,000,000 EUR for the Malta golden passport.³⁵
If you need to move a large amount of money abroad, use Wise. It's fast, simple and secure with low fees and no exchange rate markups.
Sources
- Residency Malta Agency - Malta Permanent Residence Programme
- Henley & Partners - Malta
- Global Residence Index - Malta Residency by Investment
- Residency Malta Agency - Frequently asked questions
- Get Golden Visa - Malta Citizenship by Investment Program 2024
Sources checked 09.20.2024
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